Jungle Fever
by mmil612
Summary: Eli Bennet has tasked herself a near impossible mission. Set in the jungles of Borneo and featuring our usual cast of characters and plot, Come and find out how Eli and Darcy view their roles in this fast paced and modern story.
1. Chapter 1

Welcome to Jungle Fever. I can't get this idea out of my head. If you have a chance, learn about Palm Oil and the heartless destruction of the forests and jungle in Borneo and Sumatra. Orangutan will be extinct in the wild if we don't stop them somehow in the next 15 years!

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**Chapter 1: BABY**

"Shut up, please, just shut up Jane. If I hear you tell me about the miserable Mr. Darcy again or his ambitious plans for global domination in the worldwide palm oil market, I will vomit on the phone. You know what the mosquitoes out here will do to me if throw up right? Ill be eaten alive before I get off the phone and get back to the lodge...

"Oh, and did I tell you about the injunction his silver plated lawyers just hand-delivered to me? Do you know I found them driving around outside the reserve trying to figure out where to deliver it? As if they expected to drive through the jungles of Borneo? What part of ecological wildlife sanctuary did they not understand? It was like they expected to find paved roads out here...what a joke these idiots are!

"If I ever get the chance to meet that man, I plan to douse him in his beloved palm oil and light up the forest with him just like his stupid cronies do to the animals. Maybe then he'll know the pain and suffering these animals endure when they destroy habitats and burn whole families of orangutans alive, all in the name of forest clearing...

"Oh wait, I forgot, he knows and doesn't care. I'll...yes...what?

"Oh, I know I'm preaching to the converted. You should see the new little orphan one of the scout teams brought back yesterday. I don't know how she survived. She was just walking around in a daze, circling her dead mother, they told me. But we already have her eating, and I hope one of the other moms in the reserve will adopt her eventually."

Her sister Jane assured her that her work did matter. She also assured her that their mother would not take kindly to her daughter spending the rest of her life or her marriageable and child bearing years in a jungle prison, so to please be careful on her quest. Jane was telling Liz she would speak to her again in a day or two as Eli was thinking to herself..."See that Darcy, we saved one. Burn that you Asshole."

When Jane and Elizabeth Bennet finally hung up, Elizabeth or Eli as she was known locally had already worked herself into a near rage. She was 25, hot, bothered and sweating out her future in the jungles of Borneo trying to save orangutans from certain extinction at the hands of powerful palm oil production conglomerates. The most powerful one apparently owned by a corporate greed hungry self proclaimed loner known only as Mr. F. Darcy. As Google turned up less than a page, calling him a social misfit or rather an antisocial misfit seemed almost kind.

After spending the last two years running the research and rehab center she had founded and created with her own trust fund, she was no stranger to the finer things in life, but she simply chose to spend them on causes she felt gave her life purpose and meaning instead of designer shoes and purses like most of the women of her acquaintance and social strata.

Of course her mother would like nothing better than if she gave up her "monkey dreams", came home, got married and starting producing grandchildren, but Eli had different plans. Alerted to the terrible tragedy of the only remaining wild orangutan populations, she had set out with a plan to rescue entire families of the animals before they were knowingly burned to death by deforestation, to make room for more palm oil trees that fed the make-up needs of western women would stop slathering it on if they knew beautiful monkeys had been burned alive to make it, no? The subject actually got her so angry, she was willing to violate her own beliefs about the effectiveness of non violent protests over it. Although she made absolutely certain no one could ever prove the sabotage efforts were her doing.

She felt this last action on behalf of Darcy and his law firm of Bingley, Nether & Field pushed every one of her buttons and had finally pushed her over the limit.

How dare he ask her to pay for each animal she rescued from his land? To add insult to injury, he was now claiming she had to pay an extraction fee per animal to cover his habitat destruction expenses? It was clear to her that the man was insane, cruel and selfish. Now she just had to hear from her lawyer Charlotte, a friend from Uni that sympathized with her cause what she could possibly use to counter sue. Surely, the government had to see that orangutans, scientifically the closest animals to humans and incredibly intelligent couldn't be purposely burned in their jungle homes just to clear the forest. Maybe the government would realize that deforestation wasn't temporary, but a permanent decision to destroy billions of years of ecology and evolution and could not be reversed?

If not, she would have no choice. If drastic measures were needed, she had already decided she would save these animals at all costs.

She had heard that Darcy was due to make a personal tour of a new oil production facility his company had opened recently on the other side of her jungle later that week. Eli had the feeling that a visit from a family of lovable furry orange friends might be just what he needed to finally change his mind.

As she started to plan how to gate crash his arrival in just the right way, one of her best friends appeared on the scene. As if on demand, "Baby" jumped into her arms for a cuddle. An orphaned baby orangutan now approaching her second year in the refuge, she had a face no one could dare refuse, not even someone as dour and cold as the stodgy Mr. F. Darcy no doubt was.

For a few moments she wondered about him. His age, his temperament, his feelings towards pets –she then dismissed those worries. Surely, he was old and stodgy, but Eli was convinced some hugs, cuddles and laughs could somehow change his mind in their favor. After all she mused, who wouldn't love to find a bed full of monkeys on a boring work trip?

Liz examined all of her options and felt this was a surefire way to get his attention and change his mind, or at the very least, change his work habits. In addition, knowing only too well that she was rather faster than she had budgeted, running out of much needed funds to keep her animals safe, she certainly had very little to lose...

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Thanks for all of the support and interest so far!

I can't wait to tell the rest of this story.

I always write faster with reviews and such, but please, be honest! Your thoughts, ideas and critiques help me improve! I will as with Nemesis try to post twice a week.

Cheers,

Lady M


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Sisterly Affection**

"Charles I have told you for the last time, we have to go down there.

"No, I know what your associate said, that the girl is psycho and whatever, but Gigi won't let it go. She saw those videos from that supposed animal santuary on youtube and is now obsessed with me being a monkey killer. She is refusing to wash her hair with normal shampoo or eat the food the staff prepares as she says it is tainted with dead Orangutan blood. Which she also claims you and I both have on our hands by the way.

"I said stop laughing, this isn't funny.

On the flip side, this is the first thing she has really cared about since our father died, so it is a good thing she is coming out of her shell, finally, but now I need to go down there myself and convince her I'm taking it seriously and that the girl, whats her name, Bennet is just a wack job looking to make a profit and a name for herself from our business."

"Darcy, I would think you would be a better negotiator against a 14 year old. Are you losing your touch?"

"Very clever, but did you watch that video? Gigi made me watch it with her TWICE. She cried Charles. Ms. Bennet made my little sister cry over a dead monkey. You and I know they were sneaky and manipulated everythig to make us out to be monsters, but Gigi doesn't. Of course my sister was affected. And yes, I insist you come. You were the one that reccomended I buy the plantation as a solid investment in the first place."

"Fine, I'll come, but I'm bringing Caroline..."

"No, please, I beg you. I'm not sure I can handle the psycho tree hugger, monkey lady and your sister at the same time. Don't you remember her ridiculous attempts to get me alone the last time we went to Monaco. Remember that trip Charles? I haven't forgotten it, I'm not sure I ever will...Hell, even Gigi sees through her façade and that should tell you something. My sister is so naïve she believes everything she sees on youtube and in facebook memes..."

" That is my offer Darcy, I'm bringing Caroline, or I'm not coming. Would you rather spend your days in Borneo with Caroline and I, or wrapped around the little finger of a crazy reservation running tree hugger that probably hasn't shaved her armpits in 20 years and smells like an Orangutan butt?"

"Is that even an argument? Deal. Have Caroline plan our social engagements and some fun day trips. I don't plan to be in Borneo very often. We might at least try to have some fun..."

"Well, If Gigi has anything to say about it..."

"She doesn't, this is one trip, to make her feel better and because you know my policy. I never acquire companies without seeing them within the first 6 months. I'm due. That is all."

"You sure it has nothing to do with you wanting to set straight the hot girl in the youtube videos calling you a murderer?"

"Did you mean the blond or the dark haired girl. Blonds aren't really my thing and second, I'm sure those were just some foreign college students who volunteered for the cause. Eli Bennet is most liekly an old hag and it will be no problem for me tp prove it to you as soon as we get there. In fact, make sure Caroline arranges for us to take a tour of her refuge center as VIPs. Under assumed names of course. Sell it to her as a photo op for FB...I'm sure she has always wanted to hug a furry orange monkey..."

"Darcy, you are such an ass. But you are my ass, and I love you for it. I accept your terms. Consider this deal complete. Arrange the jet and have your assistant call mine. I can't wait to put this hag in her place once and for all. My junior associates are making me a killing off you every time she files and injunction, but I'm sick of battling with her. Hopefully, we can make her see reason, or send her to someone else's part of the jungle anyway.."

"The pleasure of dealing with Eli Bennet will be all mine Charles, all mine!"

* * *

Elizabeth Bennet might be best known for her cutoff denim shorts in the jungle, buck back home in London, she was an honor MBA graduate from the London School of Economics. She knew how much her refuge was losing, so she was pursing side businesses to try to bring in more capital and starve off destroying her entire trust fund by the time she was 30. She was concerned about the environment and felt she was making a difference, but she wasn't stupid.

Having spent summers with her cousins in the States, Liz was a certified lifeguard, expert surfer, enjoyed skateboarding, detested fishing, was passable at rapelling, loved hiking and could kayak with the best of them. Combining all of those skills and top range equiptment, she spent 3 days a week at the reserve with her staff and 2 or 3 days a week working as the top english speaking tour guide on high end lux jungle vacation packages. She stomached the toursists who came to spend copious amounts of cash in the jungle because it meant she could save more animals with their misplaced generosity and love of extreme adventure sports. She had a crazy idea to set up an obstacle course, similar to what the orangutans had to try to run when a new swath of forest they lived in was being burned down...and charge people to see who could survive it, but she didn't think the toursits could really handle the truth and she would never get insurance for that anyway.

Her calendar for private tours over the next month was almost booked out, so she was going over the lists before leaving one of the resorts she worked at for the weekend when she suddenly realized that her group for next week, was the man she was so desperate to meet and his illustrious enterouge. Mr. F Darcy, destroyer of jungle and precious animal life wanted an exclusive eco tour with her? Had the man come to atone for his sins? Maybe he didn't realize who she was and his assistant had made the booking? Laughing off the idea that he had come to apologize, she figured that it was ignorance obout who she was that was the simple case here and on that assumption, she would mlik her exsposure to him as much as she could.

Eli Bennet could hardly wait to get back to the refuge, there was so much work to be done!

The weekend had flown quickly past and Eli could not believe she was due to meet Darcy in just a few hours.

Hating herself for it but also knowing that most men were the same way, and were interested in just one thing, she had admittedly sexed herself up for their first meeting. She had shaved her legs, wore her most revealing cutoffs and tighest low cut shirt. She had washed her hair with homemade shampoo this morning, and conditioned it to perfection with fragrant nut oil after that. She had tropical flowers in her hair, homemade khol on her eyes, and an alluring berry stain on her lips. She smelled good, she looked good and she was aiming to please.

As she made to leave her home on the reserve and drive towards the villa and their prearranged rendevue, "Baby" jumped into her lap. Loathe to try to separate herself, she decided at the last minute to allow her to join. "Baby" was trained enough not to do anything embarassing and to Eli's way of thinking, who could reject such a cute little girl?

She secured Baby in the back of the jeep and took off to meet her fate.

"Liz" as she asked to be called that day at the resort showed up exactly on time. She told Baby to stay in the open jeep, to which she pouted, but listened, maybe sensing Liz's nerves or the importance of the meeting.

As Liz walked to the group, she waved and smiled to some of the local staff standing about. They called out greetings to her and her smile widened. In that moment, Darcy gasped. He didn't think he had ever seen anyone or anything as alluring as their tour guide for the day. Not immediately dismissing a daliance with a young local as attractive as herself, he decided to try to put his best foot forward. As he was an idiot when it came to women, he knew that would be more challenging than it should be, but surely this woman would be interested for the money. What he would pay her for a night she probably didn't make all year.

As she approached what she knew to be her group, she was struck by the handsomest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. She heard him exclaim under his breath to the solemn looking man next to him._ "YouTube"_ before extending his hand to her and introducing himself as Charles Bingley. He also proclaimed he was "at her service". She would remember this the next time she was fighting him in court. He apparently knew exactly who she was. Damn, she had forgotten she had appeared in her own fundraising videos along with her sister to try to win over the male crowd. Still, she would try to make this work to her advantage somehow.

Charles seemed to have to elbow the man next to him to get him to speak. Eli assumed he would introduce himself as the lame cousin or assistant, while she waited for the infamous Mr. Darcy to grace them all with his presence.

Darcy was tongue tied as he tried to introduce himself. Was this the same young woman from the videos he had come to resent so much? She was like a siren calling to him. He found himself unable to resist and so mumbled something as she shook his hand and sent what felt like high voltage through his body. Did he even say his own name correctly? He wasn't sure and he didn't care. Did she actually have a British accent? She must have gone to a local village school and been taught by a British expat. It was as if the day couldn't get any better for him.

"Everyone have your swimsuits? I have a particular swimming spot I think you'll enjoy."

Suddenly a tall, lanky woman with stunning red hair interrupted. "We would never swim in open fresh water. What about the piranha? "

"You are kidding right? You are in Borneo, not South America. We have no piranha. And the fresh water here is cleaner than any pool laced with chlorine and carcinogenic chemicals to cover up for the pee and human excrement found in the water of the majority of American swimming pools... but of course, suit yourselves..."

Unable to hide her glee and putting the cat like woman in her place, she sweetly asked...

"Gentleman? Will you be swimming with me today?"

As if on cue, the both turned heel and ran back to the rooms to grab appropriate gear.

This would be certainly be interesting. Would it help her cause if she let herself be Darcy heir arm candy for a few days? She wasn't sure, but the son of F. Darcy appeared to have no social skills and couldn't even say his own name in new surroundings. As the men approached the entrance way again with larger backpacks and their swim gear, Baby had had enough of waiting in the car. She had scampered over to where Liz was waiting and was now hugging her leg. She made the sign for up, and Liz happily picked her up and slung her on her back.

"Do you think it wise to be so close to the ah, locals Liz?"

Aha, so he could speak. And she found herself liking the timbre of his deep voice as well as his dark eyes.

"Locals? "

"You know, the monkey on your back. What if it bites you."

"First, it isn't a monkey, she is an orangutan. Second, she is almost like my baby. She would never hurt me. If you are worried about AIDS, don't. She's been tested, repeatedly and she is totally clean. She is highly intelligent, funny and most importantly, an adopted orphan. She likes to be with me. But if you are uncomfortable, let me know, I can leave her with someone here and they can take her back to my bungalow if that would be better. Today is all about _you_. But I do promise she won't bother you and she is fun to travel with. Especially when you want to see the secrets and mysteries of the jungle. She knows them, all."

It was as if she was taunting him with her words. How on earth this slip of a monkey lady was turning him on so completely was a mystery to him, but he was grateful for the bag he was carrying in front of him all the same. He couldn't stop his reaction to her. He knew he wanted her, would have her. It was just a question of how much it would cost him and how free she would allow herself to be with him. He needed to stop thinking about it, her, them, together, right now, or he would be forced to carry his bag in front of him the whole day.

The monkey clinging to Liz appeared to be no stranger at flirtatious behavior either. She was attempting to play peekaboo with him from under Liz's glorious locks and while 10 hours ago, the last thing he thought was sexy was a monkey, he was honest enough with himself to admit that this nature girl and her pet where about the sexiest thing he had ever seen. For a moment, he thought about another monkey lady –Eli Bennet. How funny that he should feel so differently about them both. As the monkey was certainly doing her best to win his affections as well, maybe if he took a picture with it, Gigi would be satisfied he had done his part to help? It might not be so simple, but a few strategic pictures of him with this girl and her pet would go a long way towards helping his image and helping his little sister forgive him for his supposed crimes against Mother Earth.

He found himself answering, "No, she seems fine. We are happy to have her along." He completely ignored a loud snort from Caroline who wasn't thrilled with the animal addition to their group and then said more quietly to Liz "I can't wait to see the treasures she finds for us in the jungle." At his carefully chosen words, he saw Liz perceptively shiver. She could harbor no uncertainty about his double meaning.

As they climbed into the jeep and got settled before heading out, Darcy thought to himself that this was almost too easy. By tonight, he expected to be enjoying this trip and Liz's company way more than he had ever hoped. Eli Bennet be damned.

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I'll be posting an epilogue to Nemesis on Sunday! To tide you over, I hope you enjoyed this chapter over the weekend!

Thanks for all of the reviews/favorites and follows so far.

Heartwarming!

M


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for my short hiatus :)

RL crisis have hit me hard, but not to worry, I will finish this and keep it going...

Many thanks for the interest, reviews, ideas and orangutan love!

As always,

M

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**Chapter 3: Understandings**

"So I thought we would head out to a hike in a local reserve and then have a picnic once we reach the waterfall. We can swim after that." Turning to the woman who had eventually introduced herself as Caroline, she added "I want to make sure I fatten you up as much as possible, for the piranha.."

At this, Charles laughed, Caroline sneered and Darcy remained silent. Not wanting to push her luck and not knowing when they would get bored with the ruse, Eli decided to confront the bull by the horns.

"So, did you see my video on youtube? I've been told my sister Jane and I might have a real chance in Hollywood. You are all Americans right? What do you say?"

Charles was the first to respond. "Did you say the woman in the video with you was your sister?"

"Oh, so you did see it!"

"Yes, of course. Had to watch it before coming down here. Part of the company initiation so to speak."

"Really, initiation into what?"

At this point, it was so hard for Eli to hold her tongue and not say "murder for sport club" that she just bit it when she felt all was about to be lost. When she tasted blood, she finally stopped, but still kept herself in check. _Just think of Baby and all of the orphans like her you are saving..._she kept repeating to herself.

"So your sister, will she be joining us?" Charles, like most men apparently gravitated to tall blondes with perfect willowy figures. Too bad he would never see her in real life...

"But, enough about us Liz. How did the crotchety old Eli Bennet convince you to appear in her video? Did she pay you? And if so, how much. Maybe we can afford to make a video with you while we are down here also?

_Very smooth Charlies_! Darcy managed communicate to his lawyer without actually saying a word. His eyes said everything.

"Hhm...Crotchety old Eli Bennet?" When she repeated this, their driver made a near chocking sound. Liz knew he was stifling his laughter. Charles and Darcy thought he was agreeing with their assessment.

"Do you know the old bat also?"

The driver looked at Liz meaningfully before answering, "Yes Sirs, I do".

"And would you say our assessment of Ms. Bennet is accurate?"

At this, the driver realized his predicament. To agree would insult one of the most humble and worthwhile women he had ever met. Eli protected the animals and the native people of the jungle like no native he knew. To disagree might jeopardize whatever ruse she was apparently playing. He looked at Liz and she gave an almost imperceptible nod. Before he could agree though, Baby took to the matter into her own hands by climbing into Bingley's lap and giving him a hug. She seemed to be planning to settle in for a while.

Although shocked, Charles seemed to take quite well to the animal, Darcy was looking on in amusement and Caroline seemed perpetually displeased which was no surprise to anyone.

As they arrived at the area which Liz informed them was the start of their hike, she advised them to bring everything with them as the picnic would be meeting them there, but as the area was remote, they would not be coming back to the open jeep before their swim.

The visitors all had water bottles backpacks, towels, sun screen , bug repellent, electronic devices, and what to Liz seemed like an incredible assorted paraphernalia weighing them down. Liz scooped baby onto her back and seemed determine to need no one and nothing to begin.

Darcy asked her if she didn't require anything for the hike and offered her the use of the extra space in his bag.

She looked at him like she didn't understand. "What would I bring with me? Everything I need I can get from the jungle as I need it or do without. But I do thank you kind Sir, for your very gallant offer. She bowed and seemed to dismiss him. He certainly felt her dismissal.

She noticed the ongoing look of anger on his face a few minutes later after they had set off on their adventure so maneuvered herself to be positioned slightly ahead of him when she said casually over her shoulder. "I hope you were not offended. But please understand, my policy is to bring nothing and to take nothing out of the jungle that I don't truly require."

"Of course not. It all seems perfectly logical, but when you are thirsty, tired, hungry or sunburned, you know who not to ask for help, right?"

"Indeed Mr. Darcy, Indeed."

"By the way, why did your father not join us today?"

"My father?"

"Yes, Mr. F. Darcy, I had been expecting him to join us."

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am Mr. F. Darcy, the F stands for Fitzwilliam. You were waiting for me."

"You are F. Darcy?... You?"

"Yes, is there a problem Ms...?"

"I just go by Liz."

"Well, Liz, if there a problem?"

"No, no problem, no problem at all."

_Holy Shit._ This was her archival enemy? He seemed to not know who she was and she had him right where she wanted. Crotchety Eli Bennet realized it was time to turn up some heat.

* * *

"By the way, Darcy, I like to swim as nature intended."

"What?"

They had been hiking for almost an hour through dense jungle, with native guides who had appeared to materialize from nowhere in front and one in the back. Liz seemed to know every plant, animals, snail, bug and identifying characteristic of the mammal droppings in the area. Baby was happy to swing in the trees above them and drop them fruits and berries on occasion and call to his adopted mother as if testing her limits.

Darcy was drawn so far out of his comfort zone by her statement and what he thought it implied, he could barely continue walking.

"What did you say?"

"You heard me. I said I like to swim naked. Do you really think God or nature intended for us to wear bathing suits?"

"Well, do you think God intended for us to wear any type of clothes?"

"Why yes, I do, or we would still have hairy bodies like our closest animal cousins, the Orangutan to manage our body temperature and disease control. But we don't. Think about how crazy it is. Our largest organ, our skin, is perfectly designed for naked swimming, just like fish or water mammals, we are sleek and smooth. Whereas our minds are built for life on land. We are the KING of the primates, given dominion over all animals, are we not Amazingly, they all have natural clothes, like fur, feathers, a coat, scales, a mane. Name me one mammal that doesn't have natural clothing...go..."

"Liz, has anyone ever told you you come off as a tad bit crazy?"

"Yes, all the time. You are in good company, now tell me one land animal..."

"A hippo"

"What?"

"A hippo just has a hide, elephant too in fact..."

"Mr. Darcy, not that I mean to challenge you, but when was the last time you saw a hippo? In the zoo, probably...Never mind. Hippos have a touch exterior made up of series of plates, not unlike modern armor suits. Think of something else..."

"The hippos count, so do elephants. Your theory is bunk."

"Bunk?"

"Yes, bunk."

"Who says that anymore? Who ever said that?"

"I do."

"I proved my point."

"You proved nothing. You proved you can argue with me and lose."

"Lose you say? Last one to the waterfall is swimming without clothes on, as nature intended...deal?"

"Fine."

"Fine." And with that, they both started to hike more quickly in earnest. Liz didn't mind anyone seeing her skinny dipping, but somehow with Darcy, it mattered.

Darcy planned to throw this race. If he didn't see her naked and soon, he was pretty sure he was going to kidnap her back to NYC with them.

He was hot, sweaty, scraped, and he was pretty sure bruised, but it didn't matter as he had passed Liz some time ago and now knew for certain he had won. As he heard the approach of the waterfall, he was feeling elated with the prize that would soon to catch up to him.

As his guide spread his arms wide and he glimpsed the most beautiful and lush spectacle before him that he had ever seen, he noticed Liz swimming in the pool under the falls.

"Hey Fitzwilliam, you're pretty late. What kept you?"

"Liz, how did you...?"

"It helps when you have an adopted Orangutan on your team and don't have to follow a guide"..with that, Baby climbed off a rock above Liz and jumped into the pool. Feel free to disrobe at any time." With a wink, she dived under the water and gave him a view of her perfect stroke and even more perfect derriere.

Darcy was actually grateful that if he had to disrobe in public, at least it would be in the water. Until he saw her perfect body, he had been feeling pretty good about himself.

He dumped his backpack and gear, tossed his shirt aside, flipped off his shoes and waded into the waterfall pool. The water was crystal clear and something out of a travel mag. As he got deeper in to the water, Liz suddenly appeared from what looked like a small cave near the falls. She dove into the water and swam towards him.

"I thought we agreed on full body contact with the water, just as nature intended?"

In the mood to spar with her verbally until more could be arranged, "You seriously want me to disrobe in public in the middle of Malaysia in a nature reserve. I am sure there are laws or rules about that. I could be arrested."

"Oh yes, that is a horrid possibility. I can just see the headlines now. reports that Mr. F. Darcy was arrested in remote Malaysian waterfall for public nudity, indecent exposure and lewd sexual acts in view of small mammals with a local village girl."

"I haven't even touched you!"

"Yet..."

* * *

You know the drill. Review and all that so I'll keep writing...

M


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Interludes**

"Explain that please..."

"Explain what? That you have had your hands all over me in your mind, since we met? That every chance you get you have been checking out my ass? That you had a serious hard on for at least half of our hike today and if the water wasn't so cold, you'll have one now as well. Do you need a class in pheromones, biology or the practices of mating with local village folk?"

"Do you speak to all your clients this way or only me?"

"Yes, in fact Caroline and I had this exact conversation while we were waiting for you and Mr. Bigley to grab your swimming attire a few hours ago..."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Then be more explicit..."

"You could be less purposely obtuse."

"But where would the fun be in that?"

"You know, I have a lot of idea of ways we could be together. I'm not sure fun was my main consideration though. Pleasure was higher on the list."

"Too bad for you, I'm really in it just for the fun and as this conversation has ceased to be fun in any way, I'll be leaving..."

Before he could make a move and grab her, forcing her to stay, he saw and then heard Bingley yelling at him from the edge of the water.

"Darcy, why the hell were you running? I thought you were on vacation. This isn't "_Hell's Angels through Borneo tour_"...slow down next time or just leave me back at the hotel sipping a cocktail by the pool."

Charles noticed Liz with Darcy in the pool and then added to her "Well, isn't this lovely. Do you come here often Liz?"

"As often as I can."

Caroline broke through the trees looking much worse for the wear. "Why didn't you tell me what a hard hike that was? I barely made it? Where is the jeep?"

"The jeep?"

"Yes, to put our things in. I'm sick of carrying all of this stuff."

"Did you not listen when I said to take only what you need? We have to hike out here, no jeep can reach this place. If you hadn't noticed, there is no road, or I would have let you take it to get here. Come for a swim, they will serve you lunch soon. You'll feel better once you have eaten."

"Well how does lunch get here?"

"On our backs."

"Well, then I am sure I can leave the same way."

"You want these men, or I to carry you out of here on our backs? Sorry Pharoah, but not today."

"Darcy, order me a helicopter then. This is simply unacceptable."

"Which part of extreme adventure tour in remote wilderness did you not understand when you signed the waiver?"

"I will not be spoken to like this."

"Ok, You have my promise I won't speak of it again. You will hike back. I will not allow a helicopter to enter my reserve."

"Your reserve?" –did he hear her correctly.

"I meant, the reserve. No helicopters allowed in the reserve. Crotchety Eli doesn't allow them. And anyway, there is no reception out here unless you have a sat phone. So no one to call and nothing to do. Come and relax in the water and I'll go and check on lunch for everyone..."

"I didn't bring a suit, remember?"

"Oh, no problem. Here, just take mine. And with that Liz Bennet strode out of the water, as natural as anything without a hint of embarrassment and entirely naked. She dropped her bikini parts into Caroline's hand. At this point, Darcy forgot to tread water and due to his gaping mouth almost drown. Charles looked away, Caroline gasped in shock and Liz went to find the shirt and shorts she has discarded near the shore.

"I sort of get why men don't like to go commando in the tropics now"

Bingley chucked out loud at this but he seemed to be the only one who was amused. Caroline neared Darcy as he appeared to be coming out of the water. "Can you believe that girl? What a tramp. Have you ever seen anyone who flaunts herself at men so casually or in such a shameful manner? Talk about third world trash..."

"Well, You, She, could..."

"Oh come on Darcy. Don't tell me you weren't disgusted at her blatant attempt to offer you her services and get into your bed. I feel the blame is mine however as I booked this tour for you. Who knew I had to verify this wasn't a female prostitution front when finding a tour guide. Remind me why we had to come to Borneo again...Monaco would have been much more civilized. Don't you agree? You are so silent Darcy. Monkey got your tongue?"

"I believe Liz said they were orangutans, not monkeys."

"I didn't mean all monkeys, but whatever Darcy, why the silent treatment?"

"I was just thinking..."

"Thinking about that glorious vacation in Monaco? I'm sure you could get the jet and we could be back there by tonight..."

"No actually, I was thinking about Liz."

"Why?"

"I'm not entirely sure Caroline, but as I can't stop thinking about her, I intend to find out."

With that Darcy swam back towards the shore, got out of the water and followed the hole in the trees where Liz had disapeared a few minutes before.

Bingley was sitting on a rock near the falls catching the spray and Caroline was left wondering why Darcy couldn't help himself from thinking about a shameless hussy when she was more than available, of the right social background and normally, right in front of him.

"Liz"

"Darcy, what are you doing back here? You should have stayed in the pools and enjoyed yourself..."

"I found myself unable to stop thinking about you."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Lunch will be ready in a few more minutes, one of the guides just went to go get some pepper from the pepper tree."

"Do think I'm an idiot?"

"Pardon me? In what way?"

"A pepper tree. Is that the best you could do?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Where does pepper grow exactly where you come from in America? A package? Pepper grows on a pepper tree. We have one close by. I always like for them to use fresh and not store things. Is that a problem?"

"You know, you seem a lot more competent than a local girl from the village should be."

"What makes you think I'm a local girl from the village?"

"Your own words of course, plus the way your dress, the color of your skin, the fact you don't have a last name, your knowledge of local flora and fauna, the fact that you appear to be a surrogate mother to a furry orangutan. Should I continue?"

"No, really, that was quite enough. Do you realize how incredibly arrogant and conceited you sound?"

"Those are big words for someone that lacks formal education."

"Is the London School of Economics not formal enough for you? Is it that my MBA is not from Harvard, is that what offends you so?"

"What?"

"SHhhhhhh...Did you hear it? No, well, I'm certain I just heard the sound of your huge ego cracking under the pressure of your stupidity, or was it your lack of understanding?

"You are a real piece of work, but I suspect you know that already..."

"You have no idea who or what I am Mr. Darcy. I'm just your hired tour guide for the day, and perhaps paid companion this evening if you can afford it. That is if, and only if, you can shut your mouth long enough to do something useful with it."

Was she challenging him, threatening him, or inviting him? Darcy supposed there was only one way to find out.

He reached across the space between them and like a magician, made it instantly disapear. He dragged her to him and began to kiss her before she could form a protest. His tongue meshed with hers hard enough to subdue any protest.

The man was an egotistical, self centered ass, but we was an ass that could kiss and she wanted what he was offering. She was mad at herself for wanting it, but she did.

She pushed Darcy back against a nearby tree and then proceeded to show him who was in charge. At least until his hands pushed under her shirt and made very deliberate and insistent contact with her still wet body. Then she lost all control, of the situation, her response and of him.

"Where are they? Darcy...Liz...where are you?"

Hearing their names being screeched by a desperate search party of 1, made up exclusively by Caroline, neither of them was much inclined to give up their present occupation. Hearing the screeching getting closer and her voice more desperate, they reluctantly broke apart.

Unable to deny her response to him, Liz's natural response was to attempt to flee, or at least to avoid his incredibly penetrating stare. She worried he would learn all her secrets if she continued to watch him. Instead she found something incredibly fascinating on the jungle floor that required all of her attention as she tried to calm her breathing.

Darcy was having none of that behavior. Her eyes bewitched him and he wanted to see what emotions she would express with them now. He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him, "this is far from over Liz."

She shook her chin out of his grasp and stepped back. Trying to break the overwhleming power he seemed to hold over her. " You are correct Mr. Darcy, it has only just begun. And by the way, I prefer Ms. Benet, if you don't mind the formality, thanks..."

She turned on heel and dissapeared into the forest just as Caroline appeared near Darcy.

"Do you know when they are serving lunch. I just want to eat, hike out of this dreadful swamp back and get on your plane and go home..."

Darcy didn't hear a word Caroline said. _Holy shit, _he kept thinking to himself! He couldn't believe how incredibly well he had just been played.

_Crotchety old lady, my ass!_ thought Darcy. _Bingley's Junior Associates would pay for this blunder, with their heads_! He had very nearly had his way with Eli Bennet against a tree in a remote jungle. What exactly was her game here, with him especially and how did she plan to play it?

The woman was certainly smarter than he he imagined or given her credit. He was angry but he was also eager to see what else she had planned.


	5. Chapter 5

Harsh realities of RL are attacking with a vengeance right now. This is somehow getting darker than I wanted. Sorry for that. And for all of the cursing. I don't curse in real life, not sure why these characters can't seem to stop.

Thanks for the reviews and the interest.

M

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**Chapter 5: Mistaken Identity**

"Shit, Shit, SHIT! Elizabeth Bennet, you are the world's biggest idiot. You were supposed to seduce him, not piss him off. And you were supposed to do it while he thought you were someone else. Which he did, until 2 minutes ago when you just had to let your pride get in the way of your common sense and tell him your real name. All that hard work for nothing! You'll be lucky if the man doesn't sue you for propositioning and offering yourself to him for payment. What the hell was I thinking? Right I wasn't thinking, I was kissing. OK, let's try this again. Do not make rash decisions while kissing Darcy. Oh, like that's going to happen again. Ok, do not make rash decisions while kissing anyone, ever...

"Are you listening to me Baby? Do not make rash decisions while kissing. Bad things happen when you kiss people...

"What the hell am I saying? I'm sitting in the middle of my own reserve, hiding from a man I despise, who murders things for profit, who murdered your parents most likely, talking to my adopted orangutan. Oh, if only Professor Lucas could see me now. I can just hear him...

"Top of your MBA class, offers from every bank and investment hours in the country and what do you do? You throw it all away to hug a tree..."...and I have managed to become a crazy monkey lady in Borneo. What in the world is wrong with me?"

Darcy startled her from behind "I thought you said they were orangutans?"

"You also thought I was crotchety and old."

"Listen, can we just stop the sparring?"

"I don't know...can we?"

"I'm serious Liz, Eli, Ms. Bennet –whatever the hell your name is..."

"How much of that monologue did you hear?"

"Enough."

"Enough for what?"

"Enough to know I don't know you at all, and that you don't know me." Turning to the oragutan sitting on the floor looking up at both of them, he said "For the record Baby, I did not murder your parents." The poor animal just looked even more confused as she sat watching Eli and Darcy spar it out.

"Liar."

"Can we stay on topic please?"

"Sorry for distracting you. What were you saying?"

"Again, now that I have explained myself to your lovely adoptive pet..."

"She is not a pet. She is a wild animal I rescued from your land that lives on my reserve. One that you now want to charge me for rescuing I might add!"

"Can we agree to disagree about this one thing for now?"

"For what purpose? No, what am I even saying? I could never agree with you about anything."

"I find I disagree."

"See, we can't even agree on disagreeing."

"I just meant... Hell, why do you hate me so much. Never mind, don't answer that, I saw your youtube video. I know why you think you should hate me."

"And you, Mr. Know It All, think I'm wrong?"

"I know you are."

"Well, I know I'm right, so I guess all that is left to say is see you in court?"

"Hell no! There are plenty of places I want to see you Elizabeth Bennet, court is not one of them."

"I really can't do this with you anymore Darcy..."

"Do what exactly?"

"Flirt, banter, pretend I don't know all of the things about you that I know. Pretend I can make it all ok because you are incredibly hot, know how to kiss and apparently fee the same way about me. I don't trade lives for sexual favors and I don't have relationships with people I can't respect. Darcy Enterprises stinks from the ground up or from the top down. I don't really know which and I don't care, but I know that if you look into your business practices here, you'll see the murder and careless destruction that is going on all around you, in your name. I'm not going to play the coy damsel in distress to get what I want. I don't even know how to do that. But please, just stay away from me. And in the name of fairness and honesty, I will be honest and tell you that I will do everything in my legal power to stop you. In that respect, nothing has changed."

"I repeat, I haven't killed anyone Liz and I'm not the one who came down here and tried to use a false name."

"You know what Darcy, tell that to the scout teams that found Baby lying in her scorched mother's arms. Her whole family had been burned to death trying to escape the fires your team set knowing they didn't clear the forest and knowing those animals would be massacred. Baby's mother saved her by trying to smother her. Nothing should die like that. Not a monkey, not a human and not an Orangutan. They cry and mourn just like we do Darcy. I hope your precious palm oil keeps you good company at night. Lunch will be served by the guides near the waterfall. Baby and I are going home now. The guides will stay with you the rest of the day and speak enough English to help you with whatever you need. Now if you'll please excuse me..."

"No, actually I won't. You can't just dismiss people like that. You have all these accusations against me, but don't stay long enough to discuss them, bring me proof or learn anything about me. You seem like someone who prides herself on truth and accuracy. So before you go, I'll ask again, what do you really know about me?"

She stared into his eyes as he held her captive with his gaze. Surely this pompous corporate suit didn't have her pegged, did not understand her and her assumptions had been based upon what she knew to be true, weren't they? But what did she really know about him? If he was giving her the chance to find out, should she take it? Would that make her a sell-out or corporate collateral damage?

"Think about it. Please. Just think about it. And for the record, I don't think you can deny whatever it is that is going on between us any more than I can."

"Wow, someone is a little full of himself today?"

"You think so?"

"I know so."

"You don't know as much as you think you do Ms. Bennet."

"So then teach me something new about you then before I go, I'll be a willing student..."

"With pleasure, all you ever had to do was ask..." His mouth was attached to hers before she knew what he had planned. If this was how he handled most women he met, she was surprised all she cold find about him on Google was a page. He certainly seemed to know what he was doing, so it was clear he didn't lack experience. She kept asking herself if she had ever been kissed like, handled like that, touched like that by anyone the whole hike home. She could not come up with a single person who made her feel that way. She was livid about it, not because they had acted like horny teenagers in the middle of her jungle and had a hard time separating themselves or stopping when things got too heavy, but because she clearly could not allow anything else to happen between them.

As she walked and ruminated, Baby seemed to know she wanted time to introspect, so she kept mostly to the trees as they both knew the way back to her bungalow and the main camp without needing to pay much attention.

Still, who was Fitzwilliam Darcy and why did she care so much? Maybe because he was the first man who had touched her since she had started to call Borneo home? Because his touch had done things to her she didn't want to even think about. Maybe because he was responsible for every tragedy she and her reserve were trying to prevent and having feelings for him was in her mind totally unacceptable. Whatever it was, she had work to do and she would not allow him to distract her any more than he already had. However he kissed, she still planned to shut his flame throwing forest burning team down before they could destroy any more land or animals before end of this month.

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So much more to come, thanks for all of the interest.

Remember to review etc.

Be good,

M


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry, sorry, sorry. RL has been kicking me really hard the last few weeks. I'll try to get back onto a regular posting schedule soon. Thanks for all of the reviews and comments and messages. Appreciated!

**Chapter 7: Nesting**

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When Elizabeth finally arrived back at the reserve, she felt a deep sense of peace. She was hopeful that whatever road she would chose to take with Darcy would be successful and that she could run the reserve and sanctuary long enough to make a difference.

_Maybe he could even be a corporate sponsor? __Ok, that was perhaps too optimistic, but it seemed within the realm of possible if she played her cards with him right._

Her peace was quickly shattered when she saw the long, sad faces of her staff when she arrived.

"Hey, what's up?"

"You tell us, Eli. Did you somehow miss the government eviction notice plastered a the entrance gates? They are giving us 30 days to vacate the premises? What happens to all of us?"

"WHAT? What are you talking about? I own this land, I bought it in perpetuity, it is not a lease."

"Well, apparently according to the Malaysian government, it has been **unbought** and we have 30 days to leave. Bet you are glad you sent the animals to Darcy's hotel now after all...he's an ass if this was his doing!"

"What, wait, oh shit, was that tonight? I completely forgot during my hike. Crap, oh crap!"

"Yeah, and why exactly did you hike, the jeep came back more than an hour ago?"

"Long story, I'll tell you later, but first, where is Kitty? Did she take the animals to Darcy's bungalow already?"

"Yeah, you planned this whole operation..remember. You told her she had to be there by the time they got back to their rooms."

"Oh my gosh, that had to be almost an hour ago at this point. And she hasn't called? Darcy is going to go ape shit! How did I let this happen?"

"Oh Miss Eli", her trusted worker said "You didn't let it happen. You made it happen. Now go be a good little girl and fix it, before we all lose our homes, Missy. I like my job and I like my bungalow and normally I even like working for you..."

Eli ran to the jeep and was roaring off toward the luxury resort she knew Darcy and his crew to be staying at before she could think of anything else or ponder how she looked after hiking for 3 hours through dense jungle.

She arrived at Darcy's resort with sweaty palms, a clenched stomach and an exhausted mind. She had cursed herself every way she knew and she still could not release her anger. _When had she thought this was a good idea? What had she been thinking?_

She walked towards his bungalow and heard total silence. This meant that if he even answered the door, she was clueless as to what she would find. _Had he gone crazy and killed them all? Why was there no noise? 4 orangutans normally made at least some noise when in such a small enclosed space._

She knocked quietly, expecting, well, hoping, she was not about to face a Darcy firing squad for her unbelievable plan.

"Hey Liz, how nice of you to join us finally, please, come in..."

"Um, hi, Fitzwilliam. I'm so sorry. I can't believe I ever thought this was a good idea. Incredibly stupid and ill conceived and I'm so sorry and I..."

"Hey, Liz..."

"All I wanted was for you to see the animals and get a sense of what we are doing at the center and I thought if I could just, I mean, if you could see them, maybe you would reconsider and then I..."

She had been looking down and did not realize Darcy had come to stand directly in front of her. Nor did she realize how close he was as she found herself suddenly in his arms.

_Is he hugging me? About to attack me?_

As she looked up into his face, he quietly said "sorry, that was presumptuous, but you looked like you really needed a hug. Don't be alarmed. Your apes are all sleeping in the nests they built in the trees close by. Your assistant already drove your jeep back and she promised to come back in the morning for them. Granted, they did make quite a mess, but I think I finished cleaning everything right before you came."

"Oh gosh, how did you, why did you, when did you..."

"Now if you'll do the honor Miss Elizabeth, I would like the chance to have a private conversation with you. No interruptions or escapes? I'll even agree to letting you use my shower if you..."

Her eyes turned to fire and she practically yelled back at him "You know Darcy, for a moment you fooled me and I thought you were acting like such a gentleman."

"Hey, I am acting like a gentleman, you simply look exhausted Ms. Bennet and sweaty and hot, but if you don't want a shower, I obviously won't force you to take one."

I'm so sorry, I'm normally more level headed than this. In that case, order us some dinner and I'll happily shower, if you are sure you really don't mind?"

Darcy chose the nicest steaks on the room service menu and asked that they be brought up along with a salad and wine he thought would pair well.

Not hungry or aware of it until Liz had mentioned it, he now felt famished and couldn't wait to share a meal with her and finally say the things he felt needed to be said. He also hoped after they finished talking, they could engage in activities that would be far more pleasurable for both of them. _Did the woman not realize he could see her from the bedroom in the outdoor shower? Holy mother of...what could she possibly hit him with if he attempted to join her?"_

As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom and back into the generous suite, she found Darcy waiting for her next to the food and quickly stammered "Sorry for taking so long. I think that is the best shower I've taken in about 2 years. I built the bungalows at the reserve for practicality, not for luxury. So thank you, that was really a treat..."

"You are kidding me, right Ms. Bennet? I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it way more than you did."

"Wwwhat are you talking about?"

"You are the same Miss Bennet that was in my private outdoor shower 3 minutes ago, correct? If so, I assumed you knew that the wall is one way glass from the Master bedroom."

"Are you freaking kidding me? I just gave you a free peep show?"

"No, I wouldn't call it a peep show...It was rather more like an erotic..."

No, just stop talking. Just stop right there. I do not want to hear any more. You are a disgusting human being. How can you just stand there and oh, I honestly have no words for you. I had thought today maybe, you weren't what I thought, but I see I got that all wrong. You are a despicable, selfish pig and I hope I never..."

"You know Ms. Bennet, sometimes I want to just stick my tongue down your throat to get you to stop yelling at me."

"PIG! You and me, Darcy, this is NEVER happening. So you can stop with the sexual harassment right here and now."

"You thought that was sexual harassment? Me telling you to shut up?"

"Yes, I thought your visual had sexual connotations..." Eli would be dammed if she was going to let him win this argument.

"Well think again Ms. Bennet. I would no sooner have relations with you as I would with one of your apes. You are self righteous, opinionated, crass, and prejudiced where you have no right to be. You are also welcome to excuse yourself from my hotel suite, drive back to your dingy reserve and spend the night on your vermin infested hammock. You will get no more consideration from me..."

With that, Eli held in the tears that were threatening to fall and let herself out of his suite and back to her jeep. _Why had she not listened to him when he wanted to feed her dinner and talk? Why did she always let her temper get the best of her? What had she really wanted that she hadn't gotten? Him to join her in the shower? Hell no! Ok, let's be honest, hell yes, who in the world did she think she was kidding? Damn, she screwed that up. Like she screwed everything up by not being able to keep her big mouth shut._

_That was a really nice shower. Too bad it would probably be her last before they hauled them away for trespassing on her own land. She needed Darcy in her corner, not as as rival or enemy. Why in the world did she have to have morals and care so much about these things?_

She looked up as she heard a rustling in the trees. One of the apes that Kitty had brought from the reserve had clearly heard the commotion and woken from her nest. They recognized Eli's voice anywhere. Before she knew what was happening, she had a nuzzling orangutan in her arms trying to understand the disturbance.

She soothed the animal and then told her to go back up to sleep in her nest, promising her she would stay there the night and bring them all back in the morning. Whether the animal she had called Maya understood or not, she seemed pacified enough to climb back into her nest and try to sleep.

Liz went to the jeep, got the tarp out of the back and proceeded to make a tent for herself and take a roll to lie her head on from the storage area. Like hell if she was going to leave her animals here without someone to watch over them. Knowing Darcy and Co. they would all mysteriously be dead or missing by morning.

Darcy was seething when Liz walked out of his bungalow. He wanted to sleep with her, not piss her off. How did this woman always manage to do this to him. Like hell he would admit he meant to ravish her when he could not get her to shut up. Expressing his feelings when hers were clearly so different was out of the question, but why did she rate such a response from him? Washing his hands of her seemed like the best idea, but how could he wash his mind. Seeing her flustered and angry, with sleek wet hair, bright glowing eyes and a slight blush on her tanned skin had nearly done him in. There was a moment was he was tempted to simply kiss the talking right out of her and drag her back to his bedroom to finish what they had started earlier in the day. Instead, she was outside hugging an ape as he peered at her from behind the billowing curtains. Not in good humor, Darcy also realized was now alone for the night. How did they set each other off so quickly?

As he watched her send the ape back up to the nest she had built tonight to sleep in, Darcy wondered how to turn this around. Eli seemed to be someone the locals respected and he didn't need her as an enemy. He wanted his plantation to do well and sabotage or strike could cripple him for months. He watched her as she got out the tarp and prepared to apparently sleep in her jeep. Was the woman mad? Who would sleep outside in the middle of the jungle? Her apes had more sense than she did, at least they made nests in the tall trees. A single, incredibly attractive woman was not sleeping in a jeep outside his bungalow tonight. Whatever she thought of him, he wasn't a cad and even if they had to switch places, she would stay in his bungalow tonight. Darcy had decided that for her, and as much as they fought about everything else, about this, he would have the final word.

She heard someone approaching her jeep and quickly sat up and fumbled for her flashlight to see who approached her.

"Eli, it's Darcy. Please, don't throw anything at me. I'm sorry for what I said earlier, but I don't want you sleeping out here, it can't be safe. Please come back to my bungalow. I'll sleep on the floor, or in the outdoor shower, or even out here, but I can't let you sleep out here tonight."

"You can't let me? I'm not 10 years old Darcy, and if anything happened, my apes would hear and protect me."

"Be that as it may, you have a propensity to woefully misunderstand everyone and their intentions. My intention is not to tell you what to do or how to do, but really, I must insist. Please come inside. You can bind my hands behind my back if you don't trust me. I promise, I'll leave you alone, but come with me, please."

_Binding your mouth appeals to me more. _-Crap, _had she said that outloud?_

"What did you say?" Yes, apparently, she had. _Stop talking nonsense ELI and fix this mess!_

"Nothing, I was talking to myself. OK, I'll come. Thanks for the chivalry Darcy. Given how nice that shower was. I'm sure your couch is divine."

"You won't be sleeping on the couch Eli."

"Well, I won't be sharing your bed either Darcy, so as irresistible as I find you, you can forget your grand plan."

_She found him irresistible? Why could she not stop her brain from rambling like an idiot?_

_She finds me irresistible? Fascinating discovery! I'll have to work on turning that into more soon! For now, just get her inside and avoid another war. _

"Correct, you won't be sharing it. You'll be sleeping in it. I'll be on the couch. Give it a rest OK. This isn't a feminist rally at Berkeley. I'm not the big bad man out to get you. Truly."

"Alright, let's agree to finish arguing in the morning Darcy, I'm tired, OK?"

"Sure, well here is the bedroom. Make yourself at home. I put out a pair of my boxers and a tshirt. Sorry I can't offer you more. I actually travel pretty light"

"You wear silk boxers? It figures. Oh shit, did I say that out loud, again? Please, don't listen to me when I'm tired and hungry. I get irrational."

"Eli, I forgot you never ate. Come and have dinner. Seriously, eat something before you sleep. The steak I cold but I'm sure I can have them bring another I'll just..."

"Darcy, I run an animal reserve. Do you honestly think I eat steak?"

"Oh, you really are a tree hugger, aren't you?"

"I resent that. I also have an MBA and know my way around an EBITA table, not just how to make hemp bracelets and roll weed."

"I never said you did."

"You implied it."

"You inferred it based on who I am, I never said anything of the sort. You seem to take great pleasure in making assumptions. Incorrect assumptions. When it comes to me, I would appreciate it you could stop doing that."

"Fine, I'm too tired to argue. The salad looks good. Can I have that?"

"Eli, you can have anything you want."

"Hhm...you sound very eager to please..."

"No, I'm just a nice guy happy to share my greens with you."

"Well, thanks for giving me your unwanted veggies. I'll just take this back to the bedroom then and eat."

"Um, why? There is a perfectly good table right here and we can talk while you eat..."

"Eat this salad in front of you? Use the wrong fork, have spinach caught in my teeth? This is like every woman's worst date nightmare!"

"Are we on a date? And for the record, I don't judge people anywhere near as much as you think I do. Want to know what I do see when I look at you?"

All Eli could do was nod at this point. _Who was this guy?_

"Eyes of fire, hair like fine spun silk, glowing skin I would very much like to taste, a beautiful body, a wicked smile like you know something I don't and a body that doesn't belong covered in anything, let alone my pajamas. If you have spinach in your teeth, I won't notice. I promise you that."

Unsure of how to respond or what to do. Eli went with honesty. "Well, I thank you for the ridiculous compliments, but I highly doubt that. I haven't had work done and I'm sure I hardly compare to the ladies of high society you regularly consort with."

"Trust me, which I know is hard for you, but please try. I would much rather consort with someone real and un-jaded like yourself than anyone of my current acquaintance."

Retreat. All she could do was retreat, before she lost more ground or her mouth said things her mind did not approve of. "Nice line Darcy, but I'm not buying it. Good night and thanks for the PJs and the shower and your bed."

_Could Darcy really feel that way about her? Of course not, it was just a speech to get in her pants. Grow up El, no adult man would ever say such things unless sex was on the line._ Still, his silk boxers were quite nice. No matter what happened in the morning, she would not be giving those back - ever!

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Don't forget to review...it makes me feel like I owe you the next chapter sooner :)

Have a great week everyone!

Lady M


	7. Chapter 7

Dear Readers!

Thanks for your kind words while I took a much needed mental sabbatical after everything that happened last month. I'm finally back and I hope, it is even better than before. As always, reviews and thoughts appreciated and encouraged!

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**Chapter 7: Not The Best of Plans**

Lumpy.

The $10,000 a night bungalow he was currently occupying had a lumpy couch in the great room and Darcy was less than thrilled. It was 3 am and Darcy did not want to think about lumpy couches. He rationalized for the thousandth time that he should just get up and work as sleep would clearly not be forthcoming tonight.

_Shit! H_e had left his laptop in his bedroom in his rush to vacate the room for _HER_ and working on his mobile phone was beyond ridiculous. No one could actually read a spreadsheet on a phone screen.

_This was utterly ridiculous. He had spent the last 2 hours tossing and turning trying to get his utterly irascible bed thief out of his mind. Who was he kidding? She wasn't a thief, he had practically forced her to take his bed. Still, she had locked the door. Had he really come off as such a cad that she believed he didn't understand the word "no" and did she believe he would have weaseled his way into her bed tonight against her wishes?_

_Of course he had. How many times had he kissed her already? He couldn't remember the exact number, but he knew it still wasn't enough. Would never be enough. He was finding the irascible bed thief was also highly addictive and he couldn't stop thinking about her. _

_She had tasted like the jungle, sensual, natural, sweet. She didn't taste like she was factory made and her unadorned lips had been soft and silky._

He thought it might have been the first time he had kissed a woman with no lipstick or makeup on her face. He liked it, wanted a hell of a lot more of it - way more than he even wanted to admit to himself.

_Damn, he would give a lot of things to be in his bed, with her, right now. How could she sleep through this endless night without giving him even a thought? Did she really feel nothing for him at all?_

He had though they had built up a rapport of sorts already, that her merciless teasing was flirting. _Was he mistaken?_

3:11AM, how much longer was this going to go on? Darcy looked out into the dark night, saw the star encrusted sky and wondered why she disliked his plantation business so much. She seemed intelligent and well read, surely she wasn't just anti-business, anti-progress? Thee had to be more, but his business manager Wickham assured him repeatedly that her claims were irrational and based on nothing but hearsay and distrust of multi-nationals.

The door to his bedroom room cracked open. _Finally._ He was convinced she would admit that she hadn't been able to sleep either. Had spent the night enjoying the ceiling fan, above her mosquito netting and thinking of him. He had eventually turned on a small desk lamp in the sitting room as sitting in the dark thinking about her had made him feel slightly mad. Somehow he had rationalized that if he did it with light, it didn't feel quite so stalker-ish.

He prepared himself for what he was going to say to her. How he was going to convince her to let him back into his own bedroom and that they could be enjoying each others company instead of wasting away this perfect night in the jungle in a private bungalow sleeping apart.

Her head hung down and her loose hair covered her eyes in true well rested bed head fashion. He couldn't imagine how she could even see. A few feet away from her current path, was a side table he imaged would hurt, badly, would she be clumsy enough to walk into it.

He found himself bouncing across the room towards her before he had conscious decision to approach. She seemed to not know he was there. He gently grabbed her arms to stop her from walking into the end table. She collapsed into his chest, enveloping him into a tangled hug of smell and senses that was beyond even his own dreams.

As he was sniffing her hair, thinking she had just answered his prayers, it finally dawned on him that she was actually sleep. Her limbs had gone slack and he was basically holding her up against him. She was snuggling into his chest. Unaware, but snuggling all the same.

So much for wild fantasies and jungle sex. The woman was sexy alright, but she was also a sleep walker and would remember none of this in the morning.

As gently as he could, he released himself from her grasp, so he could pick her up from under her legs. He had imagined carrying her into a bedroom this way, but in his earlier dream, she was an active participant. At present, her head had fallen back slightly, giving him all the access and opportunity he needed, but he would not take it. As much as he wanted her, he wanted her awake, willing and eager. And he vowed she would be before he touched her again. He would never violate someone against their wishes or without their consent like this.

As he laid her back down on the bed, she entangled herself with his neck and chest and snuggled in. Not wanting to wake her, he decided to give in and lie down until she relaxed her hold. After all, he rationalized, he was simply following her lead.

_Lamest excuse ever Darcy, you know you are just hoping she wants you when she wakes up as much as you want her. _It was a good thing he had no problem dismissing himself when he was this distraught.

Now in bed, with this imp of a woman, there was no way he was going to fall asleep. Everything about her seemed to set him on fire. This close, arms entwined and horizontal was a new form of o. If he had though lying on a lumpy pillow on a couch and dreaming about her was bad, lying in her sleeping arms, in bed, while she was oblivious to his presence was a thousand times worse.

She snuggled further, seemed to take comfort in his presence and wound up lying partly on his chest, with her delicate but strong arms wrapped around his upper torso. Instinctively, he leaned his head down to kiss her hair. Apparently, this was going to be the longest few hours he had ever not slept. The tented sheet lying over his lower half could attest to the rather painful frustration at his current predicament.

Liz Bennet awoke thinking she was sleeping on a bed of soft fur. Warm, spicy male was under her nose, and just like a dream, the body underneath her fit to hers perfectly. Knowing she was dreaming, she allowed herself to explore the contours and taut flesh under hers as long as her apparently vivid imagination would let her.

_How long had it been since there had been an actual man under her when she had woken? Too long to think about._ Lucky for her, she had imagined a perfect one. He didn't feel like she remembered any of her earlier boyfriends -this one was tall, muscular and to her sleeping nose, he smelled 100% male and 100% divine.

She would have to thank Darcy in the morning for the boxers and the vivid dream.

_Holy Shit!_

_Darcy!_

_Where did he come into her dream?_

_Oh G-d NO!_

She suddenly realized as her brain came awake further...

_This is not a dream!_

_I've sold my soul to the evil capitalist and become a, become a...I don't know what I have become but sleeping with Darcy is so messed up! _

_Oh G-d, what do I do now?_

Somehow she knew, before she opened her eyes, that the man underneath her was not part of a vivid imagination, but rather, the real deal.

_Had he taken of advantage of her while she slept? Had she been a willing participant? _

She didn't feel sore, and she as still wearing his very alluring silk boxers, so...

_What the hell happened between them last night?_

_If she just kept her eyes closed, would she have to speak to him? Maybe he would just slip out of bed and go away and nor force her to experience the morning of shame?_

_Fat chance of snooty Darcy, missing a perfect chance to torture someone or something!_ She thought about her apes..._not bloody likely!_

_No, it was time to confront the beast head on. _

_She could do this, she was an adult, a professional. _

_Well, she could do it just as soon as she moved her wandering hand and her leg from in between his legs. _

_God, the man was warm enough to start a fire! Had she seriously just be stroking him?_

She knew that opening her eyes to meet his was going to be torture, but how could she avoid it?

She grimaced and thought to herself,_ Maybe he is still asleep and I can somehow escape unnoticed?_

It was then she felt his chest rumble underneath hers just before he spoke.

"Ah, so you are awake after all?"

As she tried to extract herself from taco shell she had made out of her body around him, he held her firmly in place.

"Care to dance Liz?"

"Dance?" She managed to croak out as she looked up at him. _What the hell was he talking about?_

"Yes, dance, well, actually, I had thought perhaps "tango". I have spent the last 3 hours in sheer torture underneath you, so perhaps you want to relive some of that, um, tension and pressure now that you are awake, finally and based on your actions a few minutes ago, interested?"

She sat straight up and almost left him a eunuch in the process "You sick bastard. How dare you take advantage of me while I was sleeping. I'll have you arrested and thrown in jail for this. I am not some common hussy you hire on the street. "

"Whoa, Liz, watch the accusations. You are in my bed, of your own volition and I am here because you refused to let me go. I caught you sleep walking last night and brought you back in here. I planned to drop you on the bed and escape, but you had other ideas. You want to claim it was all a dream, and you weren't playing a game, or teasing me just for fun...fine, I'll give you a pass this time. But I didn't ask for any of this. Just remember that. I'll take it happily, if you are offering, but I didn't ask. Any functioning straight man would have done the same, or more. Don't kid yourself."

Not sure how to apologize given the information he just gave her, she hung her head in shame and seemed to nod at him.

_Shit, I should not have accused him. Why did I have to get defensive? Why is there no coffee? I know better than to speak before coffee! _

"I'm -, I'll just get my stuff and go now."

"Liz, please, wait, don't –I didn't mean to..."

As if she hadn't heard him she quickly informed him "Darcy, I'm keeping the boxers. Thanks for giving me your room last night...I'm sorry I wasn't more grateful just now as I should have been. Enjoy the rest of your trip..."

And before he knew what had happened, Elizabeth Bennet had strolled out of his arms, his bed, his bungalow and seemingly his life.

_Like hell if he would be dismissed like that._

Although, in all fairness, he was a tongue tied idiot when he was around her. Why didn't he say anything else before she left ? Why didn't he feel comfortable pushing the issue with her? Making her admit to whatever the hell it was between them? What was it exactly? Hell if he knew, but it was something. A lot of something. A lot more than he had felt with anyone in a long time.

He strolled into his now empty living room and then remembered he was supposed to have a conference call with Wickham early this morning to discuss something about the plant production line this morning. He went back to the bedroom to grab his machine. As he grabbed his laptop, he noticed it was warm and that it had been apparently hibernated instead of shut down.

Strange, as he was sure he had fully shut down last night before the failed attempt at dinner with his muse. He opened his machine and it quickly popped back to life. He noticed a gmail account was open. He didn't have gmail, and realized the enormity of what he was staring at. Quite by accident, William Darcy had gained access to the inter-workings of Elizabeth Bennet. She had used his laptop to check her email and forgot to log out. He also noticed she had emails from the seemingly private account of gwick78 who also went by the name George Wickham and had been a Darcy Enterprises employee got years. _What was the head of his production line doing mailing Liz?_

In that second, William Darcy knew he had been played and betrayed like an utter fool. His oldest friend had been in touch with Liz it looked like for at least a month based on his scrolling. _Did she know who he was? Was she just a plant of Wickham's to suck him dry? Was this all really for revenge over breaking up the romance he had tried to throw onto his baby sister last summer? _

Darcy's mind was exploding with this new information. He needed coffee and answers...and he intended to get them fast.

* * *

Reviews and comments appreciated...I expect to be back to twice a week shortly...

XOXO

M


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